The present invention relates to an air baffle for use on a stunt kite, and to a stunt kite. Stunt kites are extremely maneuverable, light weight kites controlled by two or more strings which are able to perform numerous high-speed aerobatic maneuvers. Many stunt kites are presently available for both recreational users and competition stunt kite enthusiasts.
One of the major problems associated with stunt kite flying is loss of control due to intermittent wind of variable force, or wind gusts. With conventional rigid frame stunt kites, wind gusts increase the force of the kite operating against the kite flyer. As the wind gust dissipates, the kite force also decreases. This means the conventional rigid frame stunt kite flyer must continually compensate for the sudden increases and decreases in pull during gusty flying conditions. Conventional stunt kites buffeted by wind gusts may also "jump" uncontrollably from location to location during flight. The air baffle of the present invention, on the other hand, is able to control wind gusts through "boundary layer recharging" so that a stunt kite equipped with this air baffle does not "jump" randomly or pull unevenly during wind gusts, but instead accelerates smoothly and controllably. This acceleration results in higher kite speeds in wind gusts than commonly attainable with a baffleless stunt kite in wind gusts, which allows one more control to perform more complex and detailed aerobatic maneuvers during gusty conditions.
Stunt kite designers are constantly attempting to produce kites which become airborne easily and which fly in winds of relatively low speeds, such as 4 to 10 miles per hour. One method used by stunt kite designers is to employ light but expensive kite materials. The air baffles of the present invention allow a kite made of relatively inexpensive materials to take-off extremely easily (without the need of a second person) and to fly in light winds. These results are obtained because the air baffle functions as a second wing which increases the total wing area and the leading edge area of the stunt kite. All of the above mentioned advantages over the prior art are amplified when the air baffle of the present invention is divided into a series of air channels.
Air baffles are known in the kite field but have not previously been specifically employed in high performance stunt kites to obtain the above described advantages. Specifically, air baffles are known in box kites, delta kite-box kite hybrids, and other kites not used for complex aerobatic maneuvers. While air baffles are known in flexifoil type stunt kites, the rear portion of these baffles are attached to the kite sail to form a pocket which is necessary to provide the flexifoil with its rigid aerodynamic shape. Thus, the air baffle of the flexifoil cannot employ "boundary layer recharging" to control wind gusts. Furthermore, the rear of the baffle of the present invention is not secured to the kite sail to inflate the present kite in order to provide an aerodynamic shape. A combination of rigid rods provides the aerodynamic shape of the present kite.